


Threads of Fate

by JulietaJuris



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-14 08:03:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13003380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulietaJuris/pseuds/JulietaJuris
Summary: Poe meets Rey on Jakku after his escape from the First Order, and their fates are forever changed.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is my first attempt at a Star Wars related fic. I read some of the leaks, and I'm a little disappointed on the way they are taking Rey's journey. I feel like they could have created a more loving relationship subplot for Rey where she is respected. So, I had to write this in protest. I also promise Han's survival in this fic.
> 
> Tell me what you think. I can't be the only one that likes the idea of Rey and Poe.

_There's a sharp metallic scent in the air. Poe’s eyes cast downward to see the body of an innocent civilian covered in her own blood. Her bloodied hand reaches out to him in one last plea for help. The woman lets out a soft cry before her limbs go stiff and her eyes go blank. She looks too young to die, but is there really an exact age where you’re too young to be murdered? Even eighty is too old. Poe’s heart feels as if it’s being cut out of his chest at the very thought of it._

 

_Screams pierce his ears. He looks forward to see Lor San Tekka on his knees, covered in blood. Poe runs to Lor San Tekka, reaching out to him with his left hand. With every step he takes, he feels as if if Lor San Tekka is drifting farther from him. Lor San Tekka’s body contorts, bones cracking as he howls in pain. Poe’s eyes cast above Lor San Tekka to see Kylo Ren dressed in a black cloak and a silver mask._

 

_“Where is the droid?” Ren’s voice echos. “Tell me and no one else will die. You do not want their blood on your hands, do you?”_

 

_Poe stands silent as he glares to Ren. He can torture him. He can even kill him, but he’ll never give Ren the map to Luke Skywalker._

 

_Ren holds out his hand. Poe feels as if his throat is being crushed. His chest becomes tight as he gasps for air. His head feels as if it’s being split open. Every nerve of his body feels like it’s being set on fire. Poe’s breath catches in his throat as he’s forced on his knees. He can feel Ren reaching into his head, peeling through his most painful memories. Poe screams in agony as Ren reaches farther and farther into his mind. He falls forward. His hands clutch the dirt beneath him._

 

_Ren has found the information he’s looking for. Poe feels defeated. He has failed General Organa. He has failed the resistance. He has failed millions of innocent lives..._

 

Poe’s eyes snap open. He looks up into the blue sky. His vision is spinning. The night terror still sticks in his brain as if it were a memory rather than a vivid dream. His parachute is tugging against him as it flaps in the wind. Poe sits up and unhooks the parachute. His memory is coming back to him now. He was Ren’s prisoner. A Stormtrooper had freed him. FN-2187. _No_ , Finn. They had escaped together, hadn’t they?

 

Poe’s eyes search for Finn. He circles around looking for any sign of Finn, or at the very least,

the Tie Fighter they escaped in. Poe’s boots sink into loose sand as he breaks into a sprint. He stops and turns in circles. The Tie Fighter and Finn are nowhere to be seen.

 

“ _Finn!_ ” Poe shouts. “ _Finn!_ ”

 

Poe’s voice echoes. He waits for an answer that he knows will never come. Poe falls to his knees. He punches his fist into the sand. He’s so tired of losing people. Poe closes his eyes and draws in a deep breath. Finn, Lor San Tekka, the villagers, and _Ren_ \-- all of it is coming back to him now.

 

Poe brings his fingers to his temples. He can still feel _it_ . He can still feel the pressure in his head. He can still feel Ren picking through his memories. He remembers the splitting, mind numbing pain when Ren forced the memory of him giving BB-8 the map to the forefront of his mind. He feels so _weak_.

 

_If Ren finds BB-8…_

 

Poe climbs to his feet. BB-8 is on this planet, and he needs to find the droid before the First Order does. Poe dusts the sand from his beige shirt. His jacket is likely lost in the sand dunes of Jakku. _It doesn’t matter_. The only thing that matters is finding BB-8 and protecting the information stored within the droid.

 

Poe breaks into a run. His feet seem to sink into the sand with each step. His throat feels so dry. He would die for a simple glass of water. He wants to collapse, close his eyes, and rest. He wants to just take one small moment to catch his breath. _He can’t._ If he even wastes a second, that’s one more second the First Order has to intercept BB-8. Poe can feel his chest burn as he forces himself to climb a slope.

 

Poe stops as he reaches the top of a sand dune. His eyes cast down at a village. It’s small, but it’s a start. He needs water and rations. If he’s lucky, he might even find information on BB-8’s current whereabouts. Poe sits and slides down the large Dune. His pace is steady at first, but he loses control halfway down. His body turns sideways and he rolls to the bottom of the hill.

 

Poe forces himself up to his feet and dusts himself off. Each second that ticks by could be a second too long. _If Ren gets his hands on that map…_

 

Poe’s mind tingles at the memory of Ren searching his head. His anger rises at the very memory of it. He _needs_ to find BB-8. Poe thinks of all of the villagers being slaughtered in cold blood. He can’t let that _monster_ get his hands on the map.

 

Poe burst into a light sprint as he makes his way to the village. His throat feels as if it’s burning. He swallows roughly as he looks down at a pool of water. Poe walks to the pool and kneels before it. He dips his hands into the pool and collects the water in between his hands. He sips the water from his hands. Poe dips his hands into the water again. He brings his hands to his lips once more and sips the cool water. Poe drops his hands to his sides and lets out a deep breath.

 

“ _Let go of me!”_

 

Poe’s eyes shoot up. Two men dressed in black are tackling a girl in grey. Poe rises to his feet and runs in their direction. The girl kick’s one of her assailants square in the gut before her staff swings against her other assailant. Both men flee. Poe slows his pace. He watches as the girl in grey lifts a black cloth from a droid.

 

 _BB-8_ . Poe’s legs become numb at the sight of his droid companion. His heart seems to have stopped. Poe is caught between relief and disbelief. It just feels too _easy_ to find BB-8 so soon. A smile emerges on his face as he looks to the droid.

 

BB-8 shifts his head to him. BB-8 beeps and spasms with excitement. The girl in grey looks to him. She rises and walks by BB-8’s side. BB-8 stops in front of Poe and beeps ecstatically. Poe leans down and places his hand on the droid.

 

Poe smiles to BB-8. “It’s good to see you too.”

 

“You’re Poe?” the girl’s voice is quiet and shy. “You’re the owner of this droid?”

 

Poe’s eyes gaze up into the girl’s forest green eyes. He rises to his feet and looks to the girl. Stray strands of her brown hair wave as she looks to him with a shy smile.

 

“I am,” Poe answers. “Thank you _so_ much for looking after BB-8 for me. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to him.”

 

The girl’s lips part as she looks upon him. Her eyes are studying his face. Her eyes shift downwards as her cheeks turn red.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Poe,” she says. “I’m Rey.”

 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Rey,” he says. “And, thank you again.”

 

“You’re welcome…”

 

BB-8 starts to spasm again. He beeps relentlessly, pleading for Poe to let her stay. Rey smiles and let’s out a small laugh. Poe smiles down at BB-8.

 

“It would be rude to ask her to leave her home, BB-8,” Poe says.

 

BB-8’s head shifts forward. He releases an audible sigh or at least what a sigh would sound like in droid language. Rey giggles as she looks down to BB-8.

 

There’s a soft quiver in her voice when she speaks. “You’re both leaving so soon.”

 

“That is the plan,” Poe says. “As soon as I find some wings, I’m off this planet.”

 

Rey smiles mischievously. “BB-8 told me that you two are on a secret mission.”

 

Poe’s eyes shift to the ground as he returns her smile. “I wish I could tell you, but…”

 

“It’s classified,” Rey answers for him. “I know. BB-8 told me. It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me.”

 

“Rey…” Poe says. “I am sorry for the trouble my droid and I have caused you. I wish I had a way to repay you…”

 

BB-8 interrupts in frantic beeps. Poe’s eyes catch two Stormtroopers looking to him. Poe steers Rey away and takes her wrist in hand. He breaks into a run. He can hear blaster fire from behind him. His hand tightens around Rey’s wrist as he ducks into a tent.

 

Poe eyes several buckets laid out on top of a table. He dumps the contents of each of them onto the ground in search of a blaster. Old dusty parts spill onto the ground. Poe tosses one of the bins aimlessly against the cloth wall of the tents in frustration.

 

“They were shooting at both of us!” Rey exclaims.

 

“They saw you with me. You’ve been marked by the First Order,” Poe explains.

 

“The First Order?” she asks.

 

“Yes,” Poe pauses. “I’m a resistance fighter, and BB-8 has information they need.”

 

BB-8’s head is shaking back and forth. Poe walks to BB-8 and crouches in front of him. He places his hand on BB-8’s head. The poor droid is frightened.

 

“Is he okay?” Rey asks.

 

“He’s just panicked,” Poe rises to his feet and looks directly into Rey’s eyes. “We have to leave. By leave, I mean, _leave this planet_.”

 

“Jakku is my home,” Rey protests. “I can’t leave…”

 

“Rey,” he looks into her eyes. “I’m sorry you were marked by the First Order. I’m so sorry I am the reason your were marked. If you come with me, the Resistance can protect you.”

 

Rey looks to him. “I’ll go, but I have to come back here. Promise me you’ll bring me back.”

 

Poe looks to her and gives a faint nod. He can’t tell her there is no going back. Once one is marked, that person is forever an enemy of the First Order.

 

There’s a sharp sound above him. Poe’s stomach slips at the sound. He takes Rey’s wrist in his hand. The two run side by side as two Tie Fighter’s rain lasers down on them. Poe eyes the two ships in front of him. One is garbage, but he Quadjumper will do nicely. He watches as lasers shoot down on the Quadjumper. The ship goes up in flames. Poe’s eyes turn back to the old ship. He supposes the garbage ship will do.

 

Poe rushes to the ship. His fingers are still tightly around Rey’s wrist. Poe releases her wrist and darts up the ramp. Poe looks to a small alcove. “I can pilot the ship. I need you on guns.”

 

Poe rushes to the cockpit. He flips several switches and places his hand on the steering wheel. The ship lifts from the ground with ease. A beam connects with the ship. Poe bites his lip as his adrenaline spikes. _He’s not going to die here._ Poe looks through the windshield as he moves through Jakku. He can’t risk going through the atmosphere until the Tie Fighters are off their tail.

 

Poe swerves right. He feels another beam connect with the ship. _Damn this thing for being such an easy target._ He steadies the ship in time to watch a Tie Fighter falling from the sky.

 

“Nice shot!” Poe shouts back to Rey.

 

Poe notices a ship graveyard come into view. _This could work_. Poe hears footsteps rushing to him. Rey sits next to him in the copilot’s seat.

 

“The gun’s jammed!” she says. “It won’t fire!”

 

Poe’s nerves tense, but his grin doesn’t falter in the slightest. “No problem. I got a way to solve this. _Hang on!_ ”

 

Poe spots a large ship. He flies inside the ship and does a sharp turn. The Tie Fighter hits the wall of the wrecked ship. He can hear Rey cry with joy and slap the side of his arm in some small attempt to congratulate him.

 

“You did it!” she shouts.

 

“ _We_ did it,” Poe corrects.

 

They exit out of the wrecked ship. Poe shifts the ship up to the sky and sets the thrusters to maximum impulse. The ship rattles as it exits Jakku’s atmosphere. When the ship hits space, Poe turns on the hyperdrive. He can feel his mother’s ring against his chest as the stars blur around him. The First Order is far behind him now. Poe places his hand where his mother’s ring lies underneath his shirt. For now -- him and this girl are safe from Ren and the First Order.

 

The ship shakes. Poe tenses as he tries to steady the ship. He can hear a gasket blow. Rey rises from her seat. Her hand are fussing with a chip to no avail. Poe’s gut twists as he’s caught between the possible destruction of the ship and dropping out of hyperspace. He concedes and switches off the hyperdrive. The ship drops into normal space.

 

Poe scans the area for nearby planets. At their fastest speed, they can reach Takodana in a week’s time. Poe leans back into his chair and turns his head to look to Rey. She’s still fumbling with the chip as if she can force the hyperdrive to work by glaring down at it.

 

“Rey…” Poe calls to her.

 

Rey’s fingers leave the chip as she turns to look to him. There’s this bleak look upon her face.

 

“Rey...Takodana is an ally to the Resistance,” Poe explains. “It will be a week before we can reach it at our fastest speed, but they can assist us there.”

 

Rey looks to him as a defeated smile appears on her lips. “I need to return to Jakku…”

 

“I’ll do whatever I can to get you home…”

 

The lie tastes like poison on his tongue. He knows there’s no returning home for Rey. If he returns her to Jakku, he’s sending her to her death. Poe manages a false smile as he looks to up to her.

 

“I’m sorry…” he says.

 

“It’s not your fault,” Rey says. “I took BB-8 in without thinking of the consequences. So, I guess I’m stuck with you now.”

 

Her smile brightens just a tad. Poe laughs lightly as he returns her smile.

 

“I’ll do my best to be good company,” he says.

 

BB-8 rolls into the cockpit and beeps. He asks Poe if Rey is staying with them forever.

 

“Not forever,” Poe says. “Just for the time being.”

 

BB-8 beeps estatically. Both Rey and Poe laugh. Poe’s laugh fades as he looks up to Rey. Their eyes meet for a brief moment. Her lips part as she looks down to him.

 

“I should...uh, look to see if I can fix the hyperdrive,” Poe says.

 

He rises from his seat and exits the cockpit. Her smile and her eyes feel as if they’re glued into his memory. He hates that he’s the reason she’s been marked, but he can’t help but be thankful to have met her.

  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delayed update. Life happened this month. I will do my best to be more active.

Rey leans back into her seat as Poe’s holographic monster destroys her last monster. She always wanted to play Dejarik, but she’s discovered she isn’t very good at it. Rey lets out a frustrated groan as Poe releases a playful laugh.

“I’m sick of this game!” Rey snaps.

Poe grins. “You say that, but I know you’ll ask to play once you get bored.”

Rey frowns and crosses her arms. She wishes she had a clever comeback, but she knows he’s right. She hates this game, but it isn’t as if she has much else to do on this garbage freighter. _Two more days_ \-- that’s all she has left on this ship. Rey looks forward to Takodana. Surely, there will be more to do than play that stupid game over and over.

Rey shuts off the Dejarik table. She stretches both of her arms before rising from the small both. She places one hand on the now vacant table as she looks to Poe.

“I’m going to go make food,” she looks to him. “I’m assuming you want some.”

“ _Want?_ ” Poe half smiles. “I wouldn’t say I _want_ more portion bread, but it’s all we have.”

Rey smiles down on him. “I’ve eaten it for as long as I can remember every single day.”

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” Poe’s tone is dry as he looks up to her.

She laughs. “Well, when we land, you owe me this amazing food you seem to be so fond off.”

“Sounds like we have a deal,” Poe grins.

Rey pivots and walks out into the hallway. BB-8 beeps and follows her out into the hall. She originally regarded the droid with mild annoyance, but he has grown on her quite a bit. Rey enters the sleeping quarters. She grabs two silver packets and places the contents into two pans. She places the pans on the stove and waits for the bread to rise.

She sits back on one of the beds and looks to the stove. It’s relatively new in comparison to most of the ships equipment. She assumes the kitchen was added at a later date. Rey watches the bread rise. She rises and walks to the stove. She uses an oven mitt to move both pans from the stove. She places the pieces of bread on two empty plates and walks back to the longue.

Rey offers Poe a plate of portion bread. He takes it in hand. Rey sits across from him and rests her plate on her lap. She’s so sick of portion bread. She’s been sick of eating it all her life. She tries to imagine the food Poe must have eaten. She tries to picture what it must taste like but draws a blank. She supposes she’ll never know until she tries it herself.

Rey breaks off a piece of portion bread and pops it into her mouth. She swallows the bland piece of bread and tries to imagine a world beyond Jakku. Just being out in space this long is an experience of its own. She looks to Poe. All the places he’s been -- she can’t even imagine what he’s seen.

Rey’s gaze drops to her lap. She thinks of her parents. She’s waited so long now. There’s a part of her that fears that if she ever finds them that the experience could never live up to all of her wishful thinking. There’s a fear that she may miss them in her absence. It would be a tragedy if they came looking for her only to find that she’s already left.

Rey’s fingers shake as she looks to the portion bread. She supposes she might have been able to do something other than waste away on Jakku all these years. She can fly a ship. She’s a decent enough mechanic. Rey is confident she could have found a better place for herself in the vast universe than Jakku, but she’s always held herself back.

“Do you think they’ll forget about me?” Rey asks.

Poe’s eyes flicker up to her. He looks to her with a furrowed brow. “Who?”

“The First Order,” she says. “They’re looking for you -- not me. They’ll forget, won’t they?”

Poe’s gaze flickers away from hers. “I imagine they’d forget in time, but you will have to lay low for awhile.”

Rey feels her heart drop. “How long?”

“I can’t be sure,” Poe’s eyes fall to the floor.

Rey’s hands shake. There’s an awkward silence between them. She looks to Poe. He cannot be blamed for any of it. She took in BB-8 and she chose to stay by his side. The alternative would have been to turn the droid over to the First Order, and that is something that she could never do.

Rey looks up to Poe. She heaves a heavy sigh as their eyes meet, “I’m not angry. I’m just afraid I’ll never…”

Her voice trails off. She’s not even sure what she should say to him.

“Your family is waiting?” Poe asks. “I didn’t mean to separate you from your loved ones…”

“It’s not that,” Rey interrupts. “It’s hard to explain.”

She can feel her eyes string as tears threaten to form. She remembers calling out to her parents when they left. She remembers years of waiting for their return. There’s a memory trying to force its way into her mind, but she fights it. _She’s always fought it._ She knows that memory might bring her clarity, but a part of her just doesn't want to remember. It feels safer to not know than to face the truth.

Rey looks across the Dejarik table to Poe. His eyes have softened as he looks to her with concern. She can see a tinge of guilt in his eyes. She wishes she could tell him everything, but a part of her can’t.

“I’m sorry I took you from your home, Rey. Whatever reason it is that you need to go back, I will try to find a way to help you…”

A small smile emerges on Rey’s lips. Before she met Poe, she didn’t have anyone in her life. She lived her life day to day alone. She looks to him. He isn’t her parents. He isn’t even family, but he is a friend.

She looks to Poe. “You have a family, right?”

“I did,” his voice is strained. “My parents have passed away.”

“I’m sorry…” Rey looks to Poe.

“It’s fine,” Poe says. “It’s been a long time since they’ve passed.”

Rey looks to Poe. She’s never told anyone about her past. She hasn’t had anyone close enough to open up to... _until now_. “My parents...were estranged from me. I’ve been waiting for so long for them to come back. I keep thinking that they’ll find me, and we can just be a family again. _But_ …”

She feels a single hot tear slip down her cheek. She lowers her eyes to her lap to hide her teary eyes from Poe.

“You’re afraid that they won’t come back,” Poe answers for her.

Rey clenches her fists together. She nods softly as she forces her tears back. Rey breathes deeply. She lifts her gaze and looks to Poe.

“Maybe the answer isn’t to wait on Jakku,” Poe says. “The First Order’s grip is strong. Your parents might be involved in the Resistance. They might have left you on Jakku to protect you.”

Rey feels a spark of hope, but she resists that fleck of hope. There is a part of her that is afraid that Poe’s theory is not the case. She’s afraid her parents abandoned her and she truly is alone in the universe.

She looks down at her portion bread. She’s been eating the same thing for as long as she can remember. Her life has been stagnant, because she’s been waiting on two people that may not even be alive anymore. There truly is nothing on Jakku. If she left, she could be something. She tries to let go of that last bit of hope. She tries to let go of the past, but part of her still clings to the _what ifs_ and the _maybes_.

Rey looks into Poe’s eyes. _Maybe_ she doesn’t have to let go. _Maybe_ he’s right. _Maybe_ she’s looking for her parents in the wrong place. She’s waited for years only to be faced with disappointment everyday of her life.

Rey sets her plate on the Dejarik table. She looks to the portion bread. She’s tired of living off of scraps everyday. She’s tired of waiting on something that may never happen. She looks into Poe’s eyes.

“You’re a Resistance Fighter,” she says. “What if...I wanted to join?”

“I would have to ask my commanding officers,” Poe says. “But, I can’t see a reason why they wouldn’t let you join.”

Poe sets his plate aside. He rises from his seat and offers Rey his hand. Rey smiles and takes his hand. He helps lift her up from where she sits. The two of them walk side by side as BB-8 follows. They reach the ship’s cockpit. Poe sits in the pilot seat. Rey sits in the copilot’s seat next to him. She stares off into the stars.

“Maz has eyes and ears in many places,” Poe says. “We can ask her about your parents when we reach Takodana. I can’t promise she’ll know anything, but it’s worth a shot.”

Rey smiles to Poe. “Thank you…”

Rey turns her gaze and looks back out into the stars. All her life she feels as if she has been running in place. For the first time in her life, she feels as if she’s finally moving forward.

 


End file.
